"First published in 1994, this title has established itself as one of the main references in the field, through well-written, in-depth articles on critics, schools, periods, and critical innovations of specific countries and ethnic traditions." — Choice

"No academic library reference collection can do without it." — Wilson Library Bulletin

"A massive, double-columned Yellow Pages of lit crit. If it falls between Abrams and Zola, historically between Plato and postmodernism, intellectually between Aristotle and feminism, or geographically between Japanese Theory and Criticism and Caribbean, you can probably find it here." — Ray Carney, Partisan Review

"This comprehensive and easily understood reference book will serve as an indispensable guide for helping students or scholars assess and discuss an overwhelming body of material." — Cristian Salazar, Bloomsbury Review

"An uncommonly absorbing reference book." — San Francisco Chronicle

"Nothing quite matches this in scope and depth." — American Reference Books Annual

"A superlative work of reference that can be read for information, and not just another overview. It provides a comprehensive historical survey of ideas and scholars from Plato to modern times, examining developments in other disciplines which have shaped literary theory and criticism." — Shelley Walla, Literary Review